Blackboard-liner.



B. N. BLACK.

BLACKB'OARD LINE-R.

APPLICATION FILED APR-4,1916.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

BENJAMIN 1\T. BLACK, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

IBLACKBOABD-LINER.

Application filed April 4, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN N. BLACK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blackboard-Liners,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawing.

One object of my invention is to provide a rapid and reliable liner forblackboards which will make a number of parallel lines or concentriccircles in various relative positions by means of marking-crayons orother marking materials without regard to the differences in length ofthe crayons and to produce a holder for the crayons in which they may bearranged and adjusted with ease and facility and in which they may betilted without slipping when in use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device that will be anaid to the teacher in blackboard illustration and that may be takenapart and put together quickly and which when taken apart may be handilypacked in a small parcel for shipping or mailing purposes.

A further object of my invention is to provide grooved fingers,pivotally secured to the main body, each finger being independent of theothers and having elastic means for controlling the tilting movement ofits individual crayon, While in use, in the groove wherein it is held.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a blackboard-linersimple in construction, practical, durable and cheap.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention, similar letters ofreference in the various figures indicating like parts.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the bottom of my blackboard-liner, thecrayons being held in position in the longitudinal grooves in thefingers by their respective elastic bands or cords, which pass over thecrayons and through the transverse grooves in the top of the fingers.Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showingthe arrangement of the finger, crayon and elastic band. Fig. 3 is a Viewin cross section on the line 38 of Fig. 1, further showing the method ofholding the crayon in the finger. The dotted lines in Fig. 1 show theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 31, 119116.

Serial No. 89,465.

pivotal movement of the fingers, and the dotted lines in Fig. 2illustrate the tilting of the crayon when in use.

In the drawings, A is the main or body portion; A are the fingers, A thelongitudinal grooves in the fingers, A the transverse grooves in thefingers to receive the elastic band or cord, B the handle, C thecrayons, E the elastic bands or cords and S the pivot screws securingthe grooved finger to the body portion A.

It is obvious that crayons, pencils, brushes or other marking materialsor devices may be used in the longitudinally grooved fingers, ifdesired. In each instance the elastic band will hold the article used inposition and permit it to be tilted, the end of the finger forming afulcrum. The crayon may be moved longitudinally in the grooved finger aslong as it lasts.

If it is desired to use only the two end crayons, the interveningcrayons may be pushed back out of action. pivotal arrangement of thefingers, they may be moved toward or away from each other, as desired,to regulate the space between lines or between concentric circles.

In teaching music, writing, bookkeeping, arithmetic, geometry, and othersubjects this liner will be of great utility, as two or more lines maybe drawn parallel in any direction and circles and arcs in variousrelative positions, as above stated. An advantage quite apparent with myinvention is the fact that the handle may be removed and folded up withthe stock or body, when it makes a small neat package easily handled,shipped, or mailed. The tautness of the elastic band is regulated withease and facility. The elastic band or cord permits the use of crayonsof unequal length, as it yields gently to the pressure necessary tocause the crayons to tilt and trace the lines or figures desired. Thetautness of the elastic band may be regulated by giving the elastic bandone or more extra wraps around the finger. The ends of the handle arepressed toward each other to insert them in the holes in the bodyportion which receives them, and the tension thus secured is suflicientto retain the handle in the body portion for ordinary purposes. Bypressing the ends of the handle, the tension is re- Owing to the movedsufliciently to allow the Withdrawal of the handle from the body portionwith facility.

The crayon may be utilized extent as if used by hand.

With this description or my invention, What I claim is: I

1. In a blackboard-liner, a body portion having a removable handle, incombination With a plurality of fingers pivotal'ly secured to the bodyportion, and longitudinally grooved on their under sides, each grooveforming a receptacle fora crayon or the like, eaclr finger having on itsupper face, near the free end thereof, a transverse groove to hold anelastic retainer, and an elastic retainer passing through saidtransverse to the same groove and around the crayon, substantially asset'forth.

2'. The body portion, in combination With a'plurality of longitudinallygrooved fingers, pivotally secured thereto, a plurality of crayons orother marking articles adapted to be held in the grooves of the fingersand each finger having elastic means independent of the other fingersand adapted to holdthe crayon in the finger groove and permit the-crayonto tilt, substantially as set forth;

3. A blackboard-liner comprising a body portion, and a plurality offingers pivotally secured thereto, each finger having on one face alongitudinal groove adapted to hold a marking article, and on itsopposite face a transverse groove adapted to hold an elastic retainer,and an elastic means adapted to pass through said transverse groove andaround the marker to hold the same in the groove in the finger and topermit'it to tilt when in use, substantially as set forth.

st. In a blackboard-liner, a pivotally arranged finger longitudinallygrooved on' its under surface to form a receptacle fora markingmaterial, and provided on its upper face With a transverse grooveadjacent to i the tip of the finger, adapted to hold an elastic materialand an elastic retainer passing through said groove onthe upper face ofthe finger and around the marking material to permit the markingmaterial to be tilted, the end of the finger forming a fulcrum.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

BENJAMIN N. BLACK. Witnesses:

Gnn'rnnnn A. MOODY, JOHN F. KERR.

Cofiies of this: patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0.

